Both candidates for the Wichita Falls City Council District 4 post are wonderful champions of our community.

Both Tim Brewer and Nicholas Schreiber are about as nice a pair of opponents as you'll ever meet. In fact, when the men crossed paths at the Times Record News on the day of their editorial board meetings, the two talked at length at the curb.

Smiles, handshakes, good lucks. The two obviously want what's best for Wichita Falls, and they do not see the other guy as an adversary.

What a refreshing encounter to observe.

Brewer, a Realtor, sees a Home Sweet Home for those willing to see Wichita Falls grow and seeks solutions to our stagnate population numbers. Schreiber, a marketing director of an architectural firm, wants to build on the youthful enthusiasm he sees growing in Wichita Falls.

Brewer, who believes he has the free time to commit to such a post, feels the city needs to address high taxes and tackle a long-term solution for the city’s water needs. Lack of population growth is a major concern.

“I don’t understand what we, as a town, have been doing wrong for the last 22 years where people are not staying,” Brewer told the Editorial Board.

Schreiber, from a dairy farm family in Windthorst, is developing a questionnaire to ask Midwestern State University alumni why they move away from the area.

“We just want to try to connect the dots between the 25- to 40-year-olds who graduate from MSU but then chose to start their careers and their personal lives in another city,” Schreiber said.

Schreiber's architectural firm works on projects for federal, state and local government, including the city of Wichita Falls, he said. When asked about possible conflicts of interest, he said he will recuse himself from a vote on a bid if his employer is involved.

Our endorsement for District 4 came down to an important difference: While Brewer has long served the community in numerous ways, especially when it involved his children's sports teams, Schreiber sought positions on city boards that give him a head start, a foundation in municipal government -- the management, the funding, the strengths and challenges -- almost from the inside already.

While Brewer appears to be a quick learner, the established involvement gives Schreiber an edge.

In other city races, we were not given the opportunity to meet with every individual involved. Because of this, we suggest you read our candidate profiles, which can be found at timesrecordnews.com, and make an educated decision based on your own concerns for the city.

That goes for any race we endorse. Our point is to have an engaged voting population. If our opinion spurs action -- in agreement or opposition -- that's wonderful, especially in city government when the best interests of Wichita Falls are of concern.